1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a clasp such as a button for clothes or buckle for belt.
2. Description of the Related Art
While various types of clasp have already been developed and available, it has not always been easy to fasten or unfasten these conventional types of clasp.
Problem to be Solved by the Invention
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a clasp such as a button for clothes or a buckle for belt improved so that the clasp can be easily fastened or unfastened. Another object of the invention is to provide such clasp particularly improved so that the clasp can be reliably and stably fastened.
Measure to Solve the Problem
The object set forth above is achieved, according to one aspect of the present invention, by a clasp comprising a pair of basic bodies provided on mutually opposed surfaces thereof with a pair of magnets and recess and projection cooperating with each other to serve as lock means, respectively, the basic bodies adapted to be detachably coupled together as the projection is engaged with the recess and said magnets attract each other so that at least sliding shift of the basic bodies from each other in horizontal direction is restricted by engagement of the projection and recess.
The object set forth above is achieved, according to another aspect of the present invention, by a clasp comprising a pair of basic bodies, each being divided by a level differentiating vertical surface into a front half and a rear half, the front half being defined by the level differentiating vertical surface and a level differentiating horizontal surface provided with a magnet and projection or recess serving as one of lock means so that the pair of basic bodies are detachably coupled to each other as the projection and recess come in engagement and the magnets attract each other wherein, once the pair of basic bodies have been coupled to each other, front end surfaces of the respective front halves bear against the associated level differentiating vertical surfaces and thereby restrict the pair of basic bodies from swinging around the projection and recess engaged with each other.
Once the pair of basic bodies have been coupled to each other with the pair of front halves engaged with each other, the pair of basic bodies are substantially flush with each other along a boundary of them. One of the front halves is provided on its level differentiating horizontal surface with the magnet and the projection serving as one component of the lock means and the other front half is provided on its level differentiating horizontal surface with the magnet and the recess opposed to the projection and serving as the other component of the lock means so that the pair of basic bodies may be detachably coupled to each other as the projection is engaged with the recess and simultaneously the magnets attract each other. The magnets are fixed inside respective non-magnetic frames. The projection and the recess serving as the lock means are non-magnetic and the recess is formed in the frame.
The projection and the recess serving as the lock means are provided adjacent a front end of the one front half and adjacent a rear end of the other front half, respectively. Once the non-magnetic projection formed on the front half of the one basic body has come in contact with the upper surface of the rear half of the other basic body as the pair of basic bodies get nearer to each other, the projection is guided to slide on the upper surface of the rear half until the projection gets over the level differentiating vertical surface whereupon the magnets attract each other and simultaneously the projection is engaged with the recess opposed to the projection so that the pair of basic bodies are coupled to each other in a predetermined position-relationship. The upper surfaces of the respective rear halves are smooth.
Once the non-magnetic projection formed on the front half of the one basic body has come in contact with the upper surface of the magnet lying on the level differentiating horizontal surface of the other front half as the pair of basic bodies get nearer to each other, the pair of magnets get near to each other under the magnetic attraction and simultaneously the projection slides on the upper surface of the magnet toward the recess until the pair of magnets are magnetically coupled to each other and simultaneously the projection is engaged with the recess opposed to the projection so that the pair of basic bodies are coupled to each other in a predetermined position-relationship. The pair of magnets provided on the respective level differentiating horizontal surfaces are identical to each other in surface shape as well as in size. The front half and the rear half are dimensioned to have a substantially same length and the rear halves are formed in lower sides thereof with recesses.